תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

[ocr errors]

and the church of Christ again, in three years and a-half more, our hearts would fail; but, blessed be God, He will only purify and cleanse His chosen church of I wish, my dear brother, to observe her Anti-christian and worldly forms and upon these truths, that, according to the doctrines. Mr. HUNTINGTON said that appearances of the church of Christ in (Dan. xii. 7) was now being fulfilled, to the present day, and the judgment of the scatter the power of the holy people, or greatest and best of men among our pro- destroy the civil and religious liberties of phets-Dr. HAWKER, Mr. HUNTING- the Protestant churches was the aim of TON, and Dr. GILL-the Pope is to come the Pope; and I believe that that which to his end, or lose his spiritual power lets or hinders him (2 Thess. ii. 7)—for over nations, in the year 1866. Ten it is the last hindrance-is the Church of more summers will bring all these things England; and when Popery shall get its to pass. We know the year 1818, the majority in the houses of Parliament, Pope received a blow; for an earthquake down will go the great bulwark of lishook Europe: France lost her monarch, berty, religion, and peace-I mean the and state after state was revolutionized church of England; the dissenters will until Rome tottered, and the Pope the fall under her ruins, for both will cease last of all. France, as the head of the together; "And unto the angel of the beast, began, and the Pope-the prophet church in Sardis write, These things, that speaketh lies-is the tail, last of all saith he, that hath the seven Spirits of absconded as a valet behind a cardinal's God and the seven stars, I know thy carriage, and the city of Rome became, works, that thou hast a name that thou what it will hereafter be, a cage of livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and every unclean and hateful bird "-revo- strengthen the things which remain, that lutionists, infidels, and criminals. are ready to die; for I have not found Mr. FLEMING, a century ago, disco- thy works perfect before God. Rememvered the difference between 1260 pro- ber, therefore, how thou hast received phetical days, or three years and a-half and heard, and hold fast, and repent. prophetical and natural, which is eigh. IF THEREFORE THOU SHALT NOT WATCH, teen years; and therefore he rightly I WILL COME ON THEE AS A THIEF, AND judged the Pope would have a double THOU SHALT NOT KNOW WHAT HOUR I fall-one in 1848, when the prophetical WILL COME UPON THEE," (Rev. iii. 1 time ended, and another in 1866, when—3. the civil time finished. We have seen the former true, and we have no reason to doubt the latter. If so, then, we may truly calculate before that fatal year, there are to be three years and a-half SAMUEL ADAMS. mourning of the witnesses, and three Thornton Vicarage, May 22nd, 1856. years and a-half death of the witnesses, [We quite agree with our Friend and and a war before these seven years which Brother in his belief, that the Church of must occupy some time. Now, if we de- England is our great Protestant bulduct seven years from 1866, we have wark; and that the moment she is suc1859; and if we allow one year for the cessfully undermined, that brief but lacompletion of the war, we have 1858 for mentable state of things which he has the commencement of the mourning. I pourtrayed will speedily follow. have no doubt next year France will be believe that the "three years and a half” in tears, for her blasphemies in ascribing to which he alludes, are yet before usher successes in the late war to the Vir- yea, at our very doors. Popery has not, gin Mary. The Pope divided England in our opinion, received the least effec into dioceses after his will in 1850; and, tual check upon the part of our in 1858, he will no doubt assume his rulers. On the contrary, as a matter of power by Parliament to crush the Pro-State-but miserably-mistaken-policy, testant truth in Great Britain; and, in she has been pandered to in every pos 1863, make this once highly-favoured, sible way. In the midst, however, of greatly-blessed, and heavenly-enlightened what otherwise would be hopelessly island a desolate wilderness-a Roman gloomy is, the conviction of the comCatholic country, and a captive nation! His cursed canon law will proscribe and interdict all. Were it not for the sweet vision of the resurrection of the Bible,

I remain, my dear brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,

Ever yours, in Him,

We

paratively short triumph of Rome. Three
years and a half will speedily run their
round, and then comes her final over-
throw and everlasting destruction!-ED.]

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

BRIEF NOTES ON THE LORD'S PRAYER.

THY WILL BE DONE."-MATT. vi. 16.

THE will of God, like the law of God, must be holy, just and good. To pray therefore, that his wish may be done upon earth, is to desire and earnestly to seek, that the principles of holiness, truth and righteousness, may be known loved and reverenced among men.

That we may the better examine, and enter into the scope of this petition, we will consider,

I. THE WILL OF GOD AS DONE IN HEAVEN.

II. THE WILL OF GOD AS DONE UPON EARTH.

III. THE WILL OF GOD AS DONE BY OURSELVES.

I. The will of God as done in Heaven. As has been noticed before, Heaven is God's throne, the place of his manifestation, the place where in a peculiar manner, JEHOVAH in visible glory reigns; whatever may be the constituency of heaven; however it may be composed of angels and archangels, of thrones, of principalities and powers, THERE the will of Jehovah is done.

This is implied in the text, "as in heaven."

I. God's will is done universally. We cannot conceive otherwise. No discordant note can be heard in heaven. Nothing that defiles, or maketh a lie can enter there. God's righteous will, must be loved and obeyed there. Heaven would be Heaven no longer, if it were possible, in the remotest part of its infinite expanse, if from the seraph that burns before the throne, to the lowest intelligence in the gradation of angelic order, the will of God could be permitted to be unrecognised, and unperformed.

| TON remarks that if the Almighty should commission two angels to descend to earth, the one to sweep a crossing, and the other to rule an empire, each would equally hasten, gladly to do the will of God.

In the obedience of angels, we can conceive of no murmuring or discontent, no envy,no complaining,no dissenting, among them; there can be no apathy, no lukewarmness in the performance of the Divine will.

A modern writer has thus beautifully commented upon the obedience of angels:

[ocr errors]

Angelic life is an unvarying obedience, their will is pliant with the will of God, they do nothing of their own motion; and yet they do everything with their full consent. When they rest, it is in obedience-God has bid them rest. When they wait, it is in obedience, God has bid them wait. He says to one, go, and he goeth to another, come; and he cometh.) Their songs of praise are rendered, not only in gratitude, but also in obedience. That "God wills. it," is their grand motive, the powerful mainspring of all their actions. Their outward life is a continual and perfect doing of the will of Him, who is holy, just and good. No murmur lurks in an angel's breast-no questioning rises upon an angel's lips-no hesitation or shortcoming is visible in an angel's act-all is loyalty, and readiness within-all is acquiescence and cheerfulness upon his tongue-all is promptitude and performance in his hand. Man does not, or half does; but the angels DO God's commandments thoroughly, constantly, willingly, and joyfully, perseveringly and universally." "Those blessed beings assume no merit, and claim no reward: there is no self righteousness among angels; they intuitively say after they have done all, "We are unprofitable servants, we have only done that which it was our duty to do." God himself is their joy-His favour their highest honour, and the keeping of his commandments their great reward. Angels are upheld by Divine grace; they are elect angels " (1 Tim. i. 21,) they are kept by the power of God. Not by their personal holiness, * Stephenson, on the 103 Psalm.

We know little of the numbers, the employments and the constitution of angels; that their numbers are immense we infer from Dan. vii. 10, Psal. lxviii. 17; and that they are God's agents in the government of worlds and system we doubt not; but of this we are quite sure, they Do GOD'S WILL, their very exist ence is continued obedience.

II. They do the will of God, cheerfully and joyfully. Not with outward homage only, not with lip service merely, the obedience of angels is an inward as it is also an outward obedience. John NEW

66

but by their union with, and dependence upon God, they overcome the power of temptation, and fall not into the abyss of the angels that sinned. It is these elect and holy, these humble and obedient angels, whom our Redeemer sets before us as our pattern, and whom the Psalmist calls upon to bless their Creator: "Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word."

Notice II. God's will as done upon earth.

who profess, and call themselves Christians, and that a large proportion, manifest they have but a name to live, and yet are dead. Listen to the language of the multitude_around us, what oaths, what curses, what profanity; or among the more-educated, what elegant iniquity, what a striving to serve two masters, and what an ignoring of the Most High, as the moral Ruler of the Universe, do we not behold? How do these hate God's holy day, that sacred day of rest, what efforts do they make to destroy its sanctity, and overthrow its authority. How they hate "The earth is the Lord's and the ful- God's truth, and bring all their powers of ness thereof the round world and they invective, of sarcasm, or of ridicule, to that dwell therein; and yet God's will bear against it. How they hate God's is not done on earth, as it is done in people, and nickname, sneer at, and strive Heaven. I wish not to be misunderstood, to thwart those, whom the Lord esteems there is a sense in which now, even now as the excellent upon the earth. Let and upon earth the Divine will is re- them bear the Christian's name if they ceiving its accomplishment. Our JE- will; let them choose to speak on sacred HOVAH is a God of Providence, and even topics if they like: the truth must be here, he is ordering all things after the told, they prefer the devil's will to God's counsel of his own will. There is no will; they are the devil's servants, and chance work in the affairs of men, wars his commandments they willingly perform. and rumours of wars, storms and earth-They do his work, and will hereafter requakes, statesmen and warriors, wicked and righteous men, are alike his instruments, ministers of his that do his pleasure, fulfilling his decrees and hastening the consummation of the Divine purpose. Regarding all things connected with this world from another stand-point, we see not yet, God's will done upon earth as it is done in heaven.

We might speak of the millions upon millions of mankind, who yet bow down to stocks and stone,s worshipping gods which are no gods. We might speak of the myriads of the human race, who grovel beneath the delusion of the false prophet, and of the tens of millions, who under the semblance and cloak of Christianity, are drinking from the wine of fornication, which the harlot of Rome presents to them. If we come nearer home and speak of our own favoured land, a country which stands foremost, and pre-eminent among the nations as a land of Gospel light and privileges, how sad is the spectacle presented to our view, how few comparatively, in the so called Christian England, know the will of God, and knowing it, love to follow, and perform it. What a little flock is the flock of Jesus. Look at the thousands in this professing Christian land, who are still in heathen darkness. Look at the multitudes who know no God, who care for no hereafter, and who desire no Saviour. And even with regard to those

ceive the wages he will have to bestow.

But our petition is that God's will may be done upon earth; may be loved, honoured, and recognised among men, done on earth even as it is in heaven, i. e., universally, cheerfully, and gladly.

The apostle assures us (1 John v. 14). that "if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us, and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petition, that we desire of Him.”

Now we know that this petition Is according to the will of God, not simply because it is a portion of the prayer the Lord has taught to us, though that were amply sufficient, but also because it is declared in the revealed word of God, that the time shall come, when the will of Jehovah shall be done on earth, even as it is done in heaven, the time shall come when upon this world of ours, the principles of holiness, truth, and righteousness, shall be loved and understood, for "the knowledge of the glory of God shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea." How do the waters cover the sea? but universally, completely, and entirely; so universally, completely, and entirely, shall the will of God be recognised understood, and obeyed among the nations, for it is written, "No man shall say to his neighbour, know the Lord, for all shall know Him, from the least even to the greatest." Therefore does

[ocr errors]

the Church again raise the prayer of faith, | Spirit lay it upon our hearts, and lead us. Thy will be done on earth, as in hea- to love and imitate it. Is it well with ven;" and nothing doubting, does the thy husband?" Is it well with the Church believe the time will come, when child?" is the anxious enquiry of the Prothat prayer of faith shall have its full, phet of God." IT IS WELL," is the anentire, and complete fulfilment, for, swer of the bereaved and sorrowing mo"THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HATH SPO- ther. What! with thine house left KEN IT.' desolate what! with the darling of thy bosom taken from thee by a stroke

III. God's will as done by ourselves. Our prayer is no prayer at all, if it does not contain within it, the breathing of a desire for closer conformity to the Divine will. Such conformity is one great evidence of our growth in grace. Considered from the human stand-point, it is perhaps the highest, and at the same time, a grace the most difficult of attainment. To be enabled to feel and to pray, in times of sorrow, as in times of joy, Father, not mine but thy will be done, this is indeed a blessed evidence of the Spirit's gracious, and all-powerful, and subduing work.

[ocr errors]

And yet, in the daily experience of a believer, how difficult is this? what a shrinking from, what opposition to, what obstinacy against the will of God, does he not daily discover? "I see a law in my members, warring against the law of my mind," wrote the apostle Paul, and so exclaims every blood-bought, and spiritrenewed child of God. Oh, for more unreserved and entire submission to the will of God. Oh, for more of that childlike simplicity which is contented to

"Lie passive in his hand,

And know no will but His."

The Bible presents us with several beautiful examples of conformity to the mind, and submission to the will of God. That of Abraham, will at once recur to our remembrance; so also will that of Job, in his hour of agony, when bereaveinent upon bereavement in quick succession fell upon him, when trouble heaped upon trouble threatened to overwhelm him, "The Lord gave, and and the Lord hath taken away, BLESSED be the name of the Lord," was the language of the afflicted Patriarch, and what wonderful language it was. Oh for grace to imitate this to be enabled to say with the Psalmist, "I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth,' (Psal. xxxiv. 1).

[ocr errors]

To praise Him at all times, to bless Him for bitter things as for sweet, for trial and tempest, even as for joy and sunshine, this is indeed conformity to the mind and will of God. The woman of Shunem (2 Kings iv. 26.) is another beautiful example, may the Lord by His

what! with thy child dead! and still is the answer, "It Is well." He doeth all things well-it is the will of a righteous, and loving Father, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it," (Psal. xxxix. 9).

But in this, as in all things else,. Christ Jesus is our great examplar. The will of the Son, is distinct from the will of the Father, and yet are those wills beautifully harmonious, insomuch that the Saviour could say, "I and my Father are one." (John vi. 38, John x. 30.) That Psalm xl. 8, has reference to the Saviour's work, we can have no manner of doubt, for the Apostle, (Heb. x. 6,) distinctly applies this passage to the Lord Jesus Christ. "I delight to do thy will, O my God."

Now, what was the will of God? was it not that Christ should suffer for a people-that he should work out an. eternal salvation, by the sacrifice of himself, that he should be bruised, smitten, die for his church? yes "Lo, I come to do thy will, yea, thy law, is within my heart." Hearken to the Saviour, a man of sorrows upon earth,-"My meat is to do the will of him who sent me." (John iv. 34.) What a beautiful conformity to the will of God do we not find here: the Son desiring what the Father desires, loving what he loves, and doing what he wills. Again, behold him in "Doleful dark Gethsemane," the cup given him to drink, the hell of his church laid upon him-a sea of wrath poured out upon

him

the human nature for a moment shrink ing from the unknown, untold agonies of that hour-even HERE consider the example of the MAN CHRIST JESUS.

[ocr errors]

Listen to his deep, and bitter cry of agony, and yet listen to the cry of faith NOT MY WILL, but THINE be done." Truly do we bless God, for the exam ple, as for the victory of that hour. "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

One almighty God of love,
Hymn'd by all the heavenly host,
In thy shining courts above,
We poor sinners, gracious THRIE,
Bless thee for Gethsemane."

Assuredly, it is just in proportion as we ! that will as concerns ourselves, whether drink into the Spirit of our blessed Saviour, to carry the cross daily, or to glorify him just in proportion as through grace the in the midst of the fires, to suffer for him, mind which was in Christ Jesus dwells in or to rejoice with him, may it be ours to us, shall we know, and prove what is that feel, "It is the Lord, let Him do as seemgood, and acceptable, and perfect will of eth Him good." God concerning us, (Rom. xii. 2, Col. i. 9; Heb. xiii. 21).

[ocr errors][merged small]

Thou, O Lord, knowest what is best for us-wilt thou have us rich or poor, healthful or sick, esteemed or despised, wilt thou, that we live, or that we die, let us Lord, never call that evil, which thou callest good; let us in all times of our tribulation, in all times of our wealth, gladly, cheerfully, and entirely desire to do Thy will on earth, even as it is in heacen.

FRAGMENTS BY A DEPARTED BELIEVER.
Continued from page 119.

The voice of him that crieth in the_wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isiah 40. 3.)

This was indeed the cry of John the Baptist, the first martyr to the truth in that dispensation. Our Lord gave a blessed testimony concerning him, and great was his honour to be slain for that testimony to the truth. How soon shall we inherit a crown of glory, and exchange the prison, for the mansion.

A high-way was made in the desert, so, in every soul insensible of its desert state, without Jesus, the bright I AM of the spiritual system, a highway shall be made for our God, to take up his everlasting abode. We shall dwell in God, and God in us, according to our earnest cry for the fulness of his grace, causing us to be unreservedly devoted to his glory, consecrated temples for the Master's use.

2nd. Confidence in the soul. He who made the heavens and the earth, who reneweth the face of the earth, who stills the tempest of the soul, saying, "Peace be still!" who hideth the soul under the shadow of his wings; a divine shelter from everything that can condemn us. The hand of the Lord hath wrought this, in whose hand is the soul of every living thing. Our souls are in his hand, he keepeth them as the apple of his eye, our breath, our friends, those most dear to us. Oh! let us not hold these so tenaciously, but let us hold them in sacrifice, purposing to part with them if the Lord wishes. Our prayers are in his safe keeping, and he will be

stow great things in answer to prayer, when offered up in the name of Jesus. Having given himself, he will freely give us all things; all needful consolation and joy, and "He will lead us to living fountains.'

soon,

[ocr errors]

"Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are
created: and thou renewest the face of
the earth. The glory of the Lord shall
endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice
in his works.'-Psalm civ. 30, 31.
IT is the Spirit of God alone which cre-
ates men anew; and with, and in this
new creation, the face of the earth is
renewed by the same Spirit which created
it, amen. It is created in the power of
an endless life; and it is in the same
power, showing forth the praise of the
great Creator. He renews the strength
of his people, the life of his Spirit in
them, and establishes their hope in him-
self, their faith, and patience; so that in
patience they possess their souls till
mortality is swallowed up of life. He
will roam the face of the earth and his
new creation to praise, and adore him,
in the new heavens and earth, wherein
dwell righteousness. He will raise
them up in his own likeness: their vile
bodies shall be fashioned like unto His
glorious body, for an everlasting name
and praise. How cheering is the thought,
that the time is approaching when the
Lord shall rejoice in his works. We
cannot form just estimate of God's deal-
ings, but we do want to realize more and
more of God's indwelling Spirit, that we
may continually grow up unto Him, a
new, consecrated temple.

« הקודםהמשך »